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GDT - April 2015

GDT - March & April 2015

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

So there's a great challenge going on over at Crafty Gals Corner! We have a challenge that begins every WEDNESDAY! More often then not there are MULTIPLE SPONSORS PER WEEK! So there's plenty of chances to win!

Crafty Gals Corner is also hosting a Year End Bash/Blogiversary Blog Hop! This marks a year that Samantha got a challenges, sponsors and some WONDERFUL ladies together, to help show case some beautiful things! I can't believe it's been a year already!

So to celebrate we have EIGHT (yes you read that right, 8!) wonderful sponsors who have agreed to help us celebrate. In addition, some of these wonderful ladies are ALSO offering prizes on their personal blogs. So be sure to hop, hop, hop for MANY chances to receive a prize. We do hope you have had a wonderful holiday with your friends and loved ones, and best of luck to you all in the New Year! Thank you for linking up with Crafty Gals Corner and we hope to see you again soon!

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

So there's a great challenge going on over at Crafty Gals Corner! We have a challenge that begins every WEDNESDAY! More often then not there are MULTIPLE SPONSORS PER WEEK! So there's plenty of chances to win!

A couple of things before we start!

#1 - We have one of our former DT members back with us for the whole month! We are very excited for Becca to be our GDT this month. Please stop by her blog and show her some love.

#2 - It is about that time where I should be hosting a DT call, however only 1 of my DT members left, so I'm just going to stick with a smaller team until June 2016. That's when I will host the next DT call! I hope you will continue playing with us!

#3 - Since the holidays are a crazy time for everyone, we will be hosting an ANYTHING GOES CHALLENGE every week for the whole month of December. PLUS you'll want to stop by on the last Wednesday of December as we have EIGHT (8) sponsors plus a blog hop to celebrate our Blogiversary! Don't miss it!

This genie was so much fun to color and put together. She reminded me of Princess Jasmine which is why she is in teal with dark hair. I also used a Tim Holtz Lace stencil and some texture paste to create the background. I touched of the texture past with metallic gold and Viola!

As a small gift to you this holiday season, we are giving away BOTH IMAGES FOR FREE for 24 HOURS ONLY!

Here's what I came up with:

Who doesn't love the movie Frozen? My 18 month old would watch it 10 times a day if we'd let her lol!

Check out the awesome inspiration on this image from my Sassy Sisters & Sassy Brotherhere!

This will be the last FBF until the 8th of January. The DT will be taking a small break to spend time with our families and we hope you and yours do the same! Don't worry though, another progressive challenge will still go live on the 1st of January!

Well Samantha knows how to work a marker like nobody's business and Becca loves to get messy with mixed media. We both wanted to learn the other person's crafty secrets so we're going to ask one another a question on the last Thursday of the month. Becca will provide you with some amazing Mixed Media techniques and Samantha will show you some tips and tricks about coloring! We'll both provide our followers with a little tutorial, because if we have these questions - our followers might too!

So Becca's question to me this month was: "How do you color in greyscale?"

This can be easy because it only use 8-10 markers.However, that's why it can be difficult too because it may be hard to show variation in colors with only 8-10 markers.

I am using Copics for this demonstration, but you can apply them to any marker brand! The Spectrum Noir conversion is as follows:

For the skin I will be using the Copic Combo: C0, C1, C3, C5 (SN Combo: IG1, IG3, IG5) Using the Skin Coloring Tutorial I've provide in the past (HERE) - Use your lightest color and quickly go over the skin's area once.

Then take your darkest color and put in the shadows on the image.

From there take your next darkest marker and meeting the last color blend outward towards the lightest part of the skin.

Do the same step again with your next marker, and then the lightest marker until the skin is completed as shown above.

Now, your next step is pick another element in the image and try and make it either lighter or darker than what you just colored. Since the skin I colored was pretty light, I chose to make the dragon pretty dark. I used the following Copic Combo: C9, C7, C5, C3 (SN Combo: IG10, IG9, IG7, IG5)

On top of trying to show multiple shades of color, I went with a different technique on the dragon to really contrast the look of everything. This technique is called "Stippling". Essentially, all it is, is coloring with dots. You just dot your marker in the areas you want the color. So the first step I stippled in the shadows and then I did the same thing with the next darkest color.

Then again with the next color. It is very much the same technique as the skin - only with dots instead.

For the wings I went with a smooth blend, which is the exact same technique I did with the skin, and I used my 2 lightest colors to do that.

So far here is what we've got!

The next step is her clothing and hat. Since her skin is lightly colored, it's best to make her clothes darker to show contrast. Again, we start with the darkest marker and do all the shadow areas as shown above. This is the hardest step.

After you have put in your shadows, all you have to do is build up color working towards your lightest color.

Until you've reached your desired effect! The next step is her hair, which to be quite honest I forgot to photograph this part because I go so carried away coloring - BUT - have no fear, you can check out a full hair tutorial HERE apply the same techniques to this greyscaling tutorial. I used n in between color variation for her hair as I wanted it to stand apart from her dress and skin. I used the lighter shades to do her stockings, and the top of her hat.

Ta - da!

If you're interested in seeing it - here is the greyscale card I created with this image :)

In this tutorial I am using Copics, but you can apply the techniques to ANY brand of marker!

**FINAL NOTE** - The blending cardstock you uses MATTERS! It makes a world of a difference in your coloring! My favorite is Heavenly White 80# Cardstock which is sold by The Paper Temptress! Not sure what kind of blending carstock is right for you? NO PROBLEM! She offers a "Blending Copic Sample Pack" Which allows you to test a variety of blending cardstocks so you can find YOUR favorite.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

So there's a great challenge going on over at Crafty Gals Corner! We have a challenge that begins every WEDNESDAY! More often then not there are MULTIPLE SPONSORS PER WEEK! So there's plenty of chances to win!

A couple of things before we start!

#1 - We have one of our former DT members back with us for the whole month! We are very excited for Becca to be our GDT this month. Please stop by her blog and show her some love.

#2 - It is about that time where I should be hosting a DT call, however only 1 of my DT members left, so I'm just going to stick with a smaller team until June 2016. That's when I will host the next DT call! I hope you will continue playing with us!

#3 - Since the holidays are a crazy time for everyone, we will be hosting an ANYTHING GOES CHALLENGE every week for the whole month of December. PLUS you'll want to stop by on the last Wednesday of December as we have EIGHT (8) sponsors plus a blog hop to celebrate our Blogiversary! Don't miss it!

If you check out the Faery Ink Page you'll see that I'm providing the inspiration today!

So if you haven't already, check out the Faery Ink blog and see what new releases have debuted this month, they all so fantastic!
I made this card using "Gabbie Butterfly Fae"

I hope that you will take a look at the Faery Ink Store and try your hand at any one of these amazing images.

I thought this image was just sooo pretty and dainty that I didn't want to add a lot to this card so I didn't take away from her. So I found the PERFECT inspiration from Pinterest. The following is the original card.

About Me

My name is Samantha Aguilera. I was born in South Africa & raised in Texas. I am married to a wonderful man who is medically retired from the U.S.M.C. He was stationed on Camp Pendelton California, so we got to enjoy a few years in California. Oh my! was it beautiful! I really enjoy cooking, baking, cricut-ing, scrapbooking, cardmaking, painting, and anything that allows me to be creative. My e-mail address is: Samantha.h.aguilera@gmail.com! Let me know if I can help plan your next event with fun invitations, or party favors!